Next we got hot chocolate and more cake, to warm up. No longer feeling so full I could burst, I dived in and again stuffed my face for the second time that day. I didn’t care though, I was having the time of my life and I never wanted it to end, and the guys were just happy to see me eating so enthusiastically.
We decided to ride the carousel next. As soon as we started moving from where we had been sitting, toward the ride, I realised it had become a lot busier as the evening passed. The rides were all surrounded by huge crowds and people were brushing past me on all sides as I tried to keep up with the guys. It was all making me pretty uncomfortable. I wasn’t good in crowds, especially when they surrounded me at all sides. I hated the uncertainty of not knowing who was lurking amongst the crowds, and anytime anyone touched me, even accidentally, it made me tense up and my heart pound. The further ahead the guys got, slipping from my sight, the more anxious I got, breaking out in a sweat and feeling increasingly panicky.
When a man caught my right shoulder, his side slamming hard into me as he pushed past, it became too much. I cried out a little, scared, and fought to catch my breath through the rising panic. I stopped in the middle of the crowd and looked for a way out of the chaos, completely losing sight of the guys in the process. Just when I started to really freak out, strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me back into a hard body.
“Lost you for a second there, Love.” Kade’s voice rumbled in my ear and I relaxed a little, knowing I was safe. He kept his arms around me and led us both from the crowd and into the queue for the carousel, where the other’s were waiting and looking worried.
“You ok?” Kyle asked as he looked me over.
“Yeah, it just got really crowded.” I explained. “I’m fine now.”
“Stay with us, Love. We’ll keep you safe.” Kade said from where he still held me tight around the waist.
“I know.” And I did. Many things in my life were uncertain, but I never once doubted that my guys would always do all they could to protect me.
Cole and Matt dragged me to get on the carousel and we all rode around, side by side, like the big kids we had been all evening. Kyle and Kade stood watching us, like the grownups of the group, refusing to come on the ride with us. I made it my mission to have them waving at me and enthusiastically waved with every pass of them, making them wave back, despite their blatant embarrassment. Cole and Matt thought it was hilarious.
By the time we left, I was exhausted, but incredibly happy. It had been an amazing evening with the guys I loved, an experience I would never forget. Most importantly, Kyle was laughing and smiling, seeming happy and relaxed. He was so much more himself, not a hint of the broken man I had found in his room earlier. I was sure we had made the right decision to try and help him remember something good about Reece, rather than try to block the past out completely.
As I curled up between Cole and Matt in the back of the SUV, I realised this would likely not be the last time we all came together to try and deal with the repercussions of our messed up pasts. We had all been through different traumas, but they haunted us all deeply and these bad days would come, more often than we wanted them to, in all likelihood. It would all be alright though, I just knew it. As long as we all had each other to count on, I knew we would always find our way through the dark times, just as we had that evening.
CHAPTER 18
“You look so beautiful tonight, Cariña.” Matt told me for the tenth time in the last few hours. We were on our first official date together, and walking hand in hand to a bar Matt wanted to take me to, after eating the greatest Mexican food of my life in a tiny hole in the wall restaurant Matt swore was the best he had found in the city. Having eaten until I could barely stand, I had to agree. The food had been out of this world, and the restaurant was so intimate and relaxed. I had loved it all, but most of all, I had loved having Matt all to myself.
“You’re going to give me a big head.” I joked, with a blush. I was terrible at taking compliments and Matt wouldn’t stop giving them. Of course, the fact I looked even remotely presentable was once again down to Keira. She had curled my hair for me, and applied perfect, subtle make up. She had also picked out the dark green cap sleeved skater dress I wore with a balck blazer and heeled ankle boots. I had been pleased with the way I looked before I left, but I was sure I wasn’t worthy of the numerous times Matt had gushed about it. If anything he was the beautiful one, in pressed black slacks, a crisp white button-down and a sexy as hell, grey dinner jacket. He looked so handsome and suave, like he just stepped off the cover of some fashion magazine. I’d been drooling over him since the moment I saw him.
“I love the way you blush every time I tell you how amazing you are.” He smiled down at me, and it almost stole my breath. He was just so wonderfully perfect. They all were. I still
